Departmental Carbon Emissions

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he has made an estimate of the change in the level of carbon dioxide emissions from his Department since May 2010; and what steps he plans to take to meet his Department's target of reducing such emissions by 10% by May 2011.

John Penrose: The Department's target to reduce carbon emissions from offices by 10% includes DCMS and its executive agency, The Royal Parks. For the period 1 May 2010 to 31 August 2010 it is estimated that carbon emissions have decreased by 16% compared to the same period the previous year.
	The following initiatives have been identified to ensure that the target of reducing emissions by 10% by May 2011 will be met:
	 DCMS
	Reduce running times of fan coil units
	Lighting adjustments
	Sequencing of the boiler and chiller
	Reduced cooling in the data centre
	Virtualisation of the data centre
	 The Royal Parks
	Housekeeping
	Boiler replacement.

Tourism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which 15 destinations in  (a) Essex,  (b) Hertfordshire,  (c) the City of London area of London and  (d) the Metropolitan Police area of London were most frequently visited by tourists in each of the last three years.

John Penrose: This information is not held in the format requested.
	Visit England have advised that the United Kingdom Tourism Survey (domestic) data for 2006-09, places the following destinations as being the most frequently visited places in the following areas:
	 Essex
	Colchester
	Tendring
	Chelmsford
	Southend-on-Sea
	Uttlesford
	Braintree
	Basildon
	Thurrock
	Epping Forest
	Maldon
	Brentwood
	Harlow
	Castle Point
	Rochford
	 Hertfordshire
	Dacorum
	St Albans
	Watford
	East Hertfordshire
	North Hertfordshire
	Stevenage
	Welwyn Hatfield
	Broxbourne
	Hertsmere
	Three Rivers
	 Inner London
	City of London
	Westminster City of
	Kensington and Chelsea
	Camden
	Wandsworth
	Lambeth
	Hammersmith and Fulham
	Southwark
	Islington
	Haringey
	Tower Hamlets
	Lewisham
	Hackney
	Newham
	 Outer London
	Hounslow
	Bromley
	Croydon
	Richmond upon Thames
	Bexley
	Barnet
	Kingston upon Thames
	Ealing
	Greenwich
	Hillingdon
	Brent
	Merton
	Barking and Dagenham
	Enfield
	Havering
	Further data on international tourist destinations in the UK are provided by VisitBritain and can be found on their website at:
	http://www.visitbritain.org/insightsandstatistics/inboundvisitorstatistics/regions/towns.aspx

Dairy Farming: Lincolnshire

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether funding has been  (a) applied for and  (b) granted under (i) the Rural Development Programme for England and (ii) another of her Department's programmes in respect of the proposed large scale dairy farm in Nocton, Lincolnshire.

James Paice: Although an early Expression of Interest for aid, under the Rural Development Programme for England, was submitted by Nocton Dairies Ltd, no formal application for funding has been received or granted, either under that programme, or under any of the other schemes operated by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the proportion of ozone-depleting substances in the UK attributable to  (a) refrigerators,  (b) building foams and  (c) other sources.

Richard Benyon: We have not made any specific assessment of the proportion of ozone depleting substances attributable to these different sources. The Department commissioned some independent research last year into the quantity of ozone-depleting substances present in building foams in the UK. This research will be published soon and consideration will be given to whether it could provide a basis for developing guidance for the construction industry on dealing with ozone-depleting substances in building foams.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who is responsible for monitoring the safe and proper disposal of ozone depleting substances from demolished buildings and demolition sites.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency is responsible for ensuring that any waste is disposed of in accordance with a relevant environmental permit or exemption.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the quantity of ozone depleting substances material which entered landfill sites in each of the last 10 years.

Richard Benyon: This data is not collected.

Poultry: Animal Welfare

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what recent representations she has received on the introduction of a No 4 production code for enriched eggs to differentiate them from eggs produced using conventional cages after 1 January 2012;
	(2)  what discussions she has had at EU level on the introduction of a ban on eggs and egg products produced from hens housed in conventional cages after 1 January 2012.

James Paice: The UK Government remain entirely committed to the conventional cage ban coming into force on 1 January 2012 and to supporting industry during this transitional stage. I have received many questions and concerns from UK egg industry representatives and egg producers regarding the introduction of a code 4 for eggs. These concerns have been raised with the European Commission which has made it clear that the introduction of an additional production code would be confusing to consumers and thus is not an option they are willing to consider.
	I recently wrote to the Commission about my concerns about the possible non-compliance with the EU-wide ban on eggs and egg products produced from hens housed in conventional cages after 1 January 2012 and requested that they begin work on a practical enforcement solution to help manage the transition across Europe. This might be through the introduction of an intra-community ban on the trade in eggs produced by hens still housed in conventional cages after 1 January 2012. In practice this would mean that such eggs may only be sold in the member state of production for a limited period only. This will help protect compliant producers and ensure that they are not disadvantaged if there was any delay to the ban, or other member states do not meet the 2012 deadline.

Poultry: EU Law

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has received recent representations on the effects on  (a) poultry farms,  (b) the (i) price and (ii) quality of eggs and  (c) the welfare of hens of full implementation of the EU regulations on laying hens.

James Paice: DEFRA has on-going communication with the laying hen industry and I am meeting the British Egg Industry Council very soon. I also recently met with Compassion in World Farming, which included a discussion on laying hen welfare.

Rural Areas

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the measures to retain key services in rural communities.

Richard Benyon: The Government are committed to ensuring that rural people have fair access to public services, including health, education and transport, and my Department works to ensure that those who are responsible for planning and delivering these services fully understand the rural dimension.
	DEFRA also fully recognises the importance of service outlets, such as village shops, post offices and community pubs, as being at the heart of strong and sustainable rural communities and will continue to work with national government, local authorities, business and civil society partners to support their retention wherever possible.
	There are already numerous examples of rural communities taking responsibility for providing these services for themselves, and my Department is keen to support and promote these Big Society approaches to addressing community needs.

Water

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has discussed with the Leader of the House on the implications for the implementation of proposals in her Department's White Paper on water of the proposed extension of the current Parliamentary session to 2012.

Richard Benyon: The Secretary of State will be seeking any necessary discussions with the Leader of the House as part of our current consideration of the timetable for legislative requirements resulting from the Water White Paper, due for publication in June next year.

Wood: EU Law

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 9 September 2010,  Official Report, column 640W, on timber: EU law, if she will make it her policy to implement the provisions of the EU Timber Due Diligence Regulation within the next 12 months.

James Paice: Formal agreement has now been reached on the illegal timber (due diligence) regulation, and we will implement its provisions through a robust and proportionate enforcement regime. We must allow sufficient time to harmonise implementation as far as necessary at the European level to meet the goal of eliminating illegal timber from the EU market. The regulation sets the deadline for implementation at 27 months. Our priority is ensuring the effectiveness of the first-placing prohibition.

Galileo

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress has been made towards the full operational capability of the Galileo system; and what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the Government's contribution to the operation and maintenance of that system.

Theresa Villiers: Contracts were let by the European Commission earlier this year for three of the six work packages needed to complete the Galileo system. Surrey Satellite Technology secured work worth €236 million to build payloads for 14 satellites from this. The European Commission estimates that the remaining three contracts will be signed by early next year.
	The European Commission has not yet set out its proposal for the exploitation phase covering the operation, maintenance, marketing, improvement and renewal of the system from 2014 onwards. The Commission is required to undertake a feasibility study of the advantages and disadvantages of the use of contracts with private sector entities as part of this process since that may save some public funds. The Commission's proposal may be made with the programme's mid-term review which the Commission is legally required to undertaken this year.
	Galileo is funded from the core EU budget to which all member states contribute. The UK's contribution to the EU budget from 2014 onwards will be decided during the forthcoming negotiations.

Highways Agency Staff: Death

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Highways Agency staff have been  (a) injured and  (b) killed while collecting litter from motorways and trunk roads in each of the last five years.

Michael Penning: The Highways Agency is responsible for picking litter on motorways and a small number of the all purpose trunk roads.
	No Highways Agency staff are involved in picking litter; the work is carried out by the agency's contractors.
	The following information shows the number of contractors injured or killed over the last five years.
	
		
			  Number of HA contractors injured and killed while picking litter 
			   Injured  Killed 
			 2005 0 0 
			 2006 1 0 
			 2007 1 0 
			 2008 2 0 
			 2009 4 0 
			 2010 8 0

Railways: Greater London

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what capital projects are scheduled to take place on railway lines in  (a) London,  (b) the London Borough of Lambeth and  (c) Streatham constituency during (i) the remainder of control period 4 and (ii) control period 5.

Theresa Villiers: Details of Network Rail's investment plans for control period 4 are available within Network Rail's delivery plan documents published on their website. No details regarding control period 5 investments are available as Network Rail's regulatory settlement for that period will not be concluded until around 2013.
	Details of investment plans by train operators contained within the franchise agreements are available on the Department for Transport's public register.
	Transport for London will be providing additional railway investment via the East London Line extension phase 2 to Clapham Junction, planned to open in 2012.
	Details of the appropriate websites are:
	http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/6648.aspx
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/publicregister/current/

Wind Power

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on methods to mitigate the effects of wind turbines on air traffic control systems.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport has not commissioned any research or evaluated the methods to mitigate the impact of wind farms on air traffic control systems.
	The independent Civil Aviation Authority regulates the operation of air traffic control systems in the UK and this includes the provision of impartial regulatory advice relating to proposed wind farm mitigation strategies on air traffic control systems.
	Before a wind farm can be built all aviation-related objections must be lifted. Consequently, developers work closely with NATS, airports, the MOD and the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure that suitable mitigations can be identified and implemented thus enabling their developments to proceed.

Appointments Commission

David Blunkett: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 16 September 2010,  Official Report, column 1145W, on the Appointments Commission, in which circumstances appointments may be made by departments other than in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and the procedure adopted following the Nolan Inquiry; and if he will make a statement.

David Cameron: Appointments within the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments are set out in the Public Appointments Order in Council 2002 (as amended). As has been the case under previous Administrations, appointments to posts outside the Commissioner's remit are made on merit and in line with the principles of the Commissioner's code of practice but are not formally bound by the requirements of the code.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 15 September 2010,  Official Report, column 1107W, on departmental ministerial policy advisers, what records of declarations of  (a) interests,  (b) gifts and  (c) hospitality made by special advisers based in No. 10 Downing Street his Department holds for the period before 13 May 2010.

David Cameron: These are the papers of a previous administration. This Government are committed to publishing on a quarterly basis details of gifts and hospitality received by special advisers.

Government: Ministers

Tom Watson: To ask the Prime Minister what steps he is taking to reduce the number of Government Ministers; and if he will make a statement.

David Cameron: The size of the Government are kept under review.

Developing Countries: Co-operatives

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is on  (a) providing support and building capacity for co-operatives in developing countries and  (b) enabling smallholders to form secondary co-operatives in such countries.

Stephen O'Brien: Cooperatives are key partners in the fight against poverty in many low income countries. The Department for International Development's (DFID's) Food Retail Industry Challenge Fund (FRICH) provides funding to co-operatives which, for example, are helping small-holder Kenyan farmers in co-operatives to access a guaranteed market for the tea they produce. Co-operatives are also eligible to apply to the Department's Business Innovation Facility. In addition our new funding instruments for private sector development will be designed to be accessible to co-operatives.
	DFID does not have a specific policy on enabling small holders to form secondary co-operatives. However we do recognise their importance as one way for smallholders to capture more of the value chain and increase their incomes. These are key objectives that we support through our funding for fair trade, private sector enterprise and civil society, a good example of which I have seen for myself in Rwanda as part of a DFID-funded Social Protection Programme.

Developing Countries: Disease Control

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department provides for  (a) research into and  (b) projects countering (i) malaria, (ii) dengue fever, (iii) dysentery and (iv) yellow fever overseas.

Stephen O'Brien: In 2009, the Department for International Development (DFID) provided a total of £8 million for research into malaria and is finalising a new £5.5 million programme of research to address resistance to artemisinin drugs, currently the mainstay of malaria treatment. In 2009 DFID provided £4 million to the WHO Special Programme on Tropical Disease Research (TDR), which includes research into dengue, dysentery and yellow fever.
	In 2009, DFID provided £150 million to tackle malaria. At the recent UN Millennium Development summit, the UK made a substantial commitment to help reduce malaria deaths by at least 50% in at least ten high-burden countries by 2015, backed up by an increase in funding to as much as £500 million per year by 2014. Individual amounts for programme spend are not available for dengue and yellow fever. To reduce diarrhoeal disease, such as dysentery, £87 million was spent in 2009, on water, sanitation and hygiene programmes.

International Assistance: Environment Protection

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking towards meeting the Millennium Development Goal on environmental sustainability.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) is playing an active role in supporting progress towards the Millennium Development Goal on Environmental Sustainability. In 2009-10 UK aid enabled around 5.1 million of the world's poorest people to gain access to clean water and 16.3 million to basic sanitation. Through the joint United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Poverty and Environment Initiative, DFID has supported 22 developing countries to integrate environmental sustainability into national planning processes. With DFID support, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) has delivered over 750 projects in 155 countries to improve the management of biodiversity. We also provided support during the preparatory stages to the World Bank's Partnership for the valuation of natural resource assets, which will enable six to 10 developing countries to incorporate the value of their natural assets into their national accounts to strengthen sustainable economic growth. In addition, DFID is strengthening its environmental screening procedures, and incorporating climate change assessments.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has made an estimate of the change in the level of carbon dioxide emissions from his Department since May 2010; and what steps he plans to take to meet his Department's target of reducing such emissions by 10 per cent. by May 2011.

Owen Paterson: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) monitors its carbon dioxide emissions on a regular basis and these are published on a yearly basis. Officials are working closely with the newly formed Efficiency and Reform Group to ensure my Department meets its target by May 2011.

Public Expenditure

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  if he will guarantee the Government's undertaking to provide £18 billion to the Northern Ireland Executive for political institutions and infrastructure development and renewal; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  to ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with  (a) the Prime Minister and  (b) the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the criteria to apply to the determination of the financial allocation for the Northern Ireland block grant in the comprehensive spending review.

Owen Paterson: These are matters that are under consideration as part of the spending review that is currently under way.
	As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Welfare State: Reform

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions  (a) he and  (b) his Ministerial colleagues have had with the Northern Ireland Executive on (i) proposed changes to the benefit and welfare system and (ii) the level of employment in Northern Ireland.

Owen Paterson: Responsibility for these matters is largely devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly, but Executive Ministers do discuss matters of mutual interest with my ministerial colleagues and I. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions recently met with the Northern Ireland Minister for Employment and Learning and Minister for Social Development to discuss welfare reform.

Work Experience

Mary Macleod: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what opportunities his Department provides for jobseekers to undertake work experience.

Chris Grayling: Work Experience of two to 13 weeks is currently available to qualifying 18 to 24-year-old non-graduate jobseekers. Graduates are encouraged to apply for internships through the Graduate Talent Pool. Work Experience is also made available for customers of all ages who are in non Flexible New Deal areas through the appropriate New Deal option.

Child Poverty

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect on levels of child poverty of the proposed £26,000 benefit cap.

Maria Miller: A full impact Assessment will be published alongside the forthcoming Welfare Reform White Paper.
	This Government are committed to tackling child poverty and will set out more detail in our Child Poverty Strategy which will be published before the end of March 2011.
	The cap will take into account the average earnings of working families-which we estimate will be around £26,000 per year, £500 per week, when the cap comes into effect. This equates to a salary of £35,000 (for a single worker) before income tax and national insurance.

Employment Assistance

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with third sector organisations on their role in helping people back to work.

Chris Grayling: DWP continues to engage and acknowledge the vital role the third sector plays in helping people back to work and inform policy.
	During the summer we held consultation events across GB to engage Voluntary and Community sector organisations in our plans for the Work Programme and welfare reform more generally. We also supported events with the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO) Association of Learning Providers (ALP) and the Employment Related Services Association (ERSA).
	We also have regular meetings with the British Association for Supported Employment BASE and regionally with the Community and Voluntary Forum East of England COVER the next meeting is 18 October when JCP will be outlining the options and opportunities within the Get Britain Working programme.

Work Capability Assessment

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to improve the quality and accuracy of the work capability assessment.

Chris Grayling: We believe that the Work Capability Assessment is effective at identifying a person's functional capability for work and work related activity and very much more so than its predecessor the Personal Capability Assessment.
	In March this year the Department led a review which engaged closely with experts and specialist disability charities. We are now implementing the recommendations of this review, which will improve the fairness and accuracy of the Work Capability Assessment.
	We are committed to continuing this process of review and improvement and to ensure that it is as robust as possible, particularly ahead of the reassessment of existing incapacity benefits cases commencing in April next year. As you may be aware we are required by Statute to undertake an independent review annually for the first five years following introduction of Employment Support Allowance. We recently announced that the first review is being led by Professor Malcolm Harrington. We are also pleased that Paul Farmer, CEO of Mind, is sitting on the review's Scrutiny Group, which will provide advice and challenge to the lead reviewer.
	We expect to receive Professor Harrington's report later in the year and will then carefully consider any recommendations he makes.

Pensions

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average change in payments to pensioners as a result of restoring the link between the level of state pension and average earnings.

Steve Webb: On top of restoring the earnings link the 'triple guarantee' will ensure that the basic state pension will be increased each year by the highest of earnings, prices or 2.5%.
	This will mean that the average person reaching state pension age in 2011 can expect to receive an additional £15,000 in basic state pension over their retirement.

Disabled People: Employment

Sam Gyimah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of disabled people who are in employment.

Maria Miller: For people of working age, the employment rate for disabled people is currently 48.4%. This compares with the overall working age employment rate of 72.2%, a gap of almost 24 percentage points.
	The Coalition Government are committed to reducing this gap.
	Work Choice, our specialist programme for disabled people, will begin from 25 October 2010.
	We stated in the Coalition Agreement that we will reform Access to Work, the programme which funds adjustments to help people enter and remain in work, so disabled people can apply for jobs with funding already secured for any adaptations and equipment they will need. We are currently considering how to do this and an announcement will be made in due course.

Cold Weather Payments

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in the Warrington weather station areas received cold weather payments in the financial year 2009-10.

Steve Webb: In 2009-10, postcodes in Warrington were linked to either Crosby or Woodford weather stations. The available information is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Estimated number of benefit units that received cold weather payments in 2009-10 
			   Number 
			 Crosby weather station 278,900 
			 Woodford weather station 212,000 
			  Notes: 1. The figures are for each weather station as a whole, not for the part of Warrington linked to the weather station. 2. Figures are estimates only, as actual data is not available. 3. Cold weather payments are made to benefit units rather than to households. A benefit unit can be a single person or a couple and can include children. 4. Eligible benefit units in Warrington received more than one cold weather payment in 2009-10. 5. Each of the weather stations listed also covers an area that is not part of Warrington. 6. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.  Sources: 1. Scans of benefit computer systems taken at the end of October 2009 giving the number of potential qualifiers for cold weather payments by weather station. 2. Department for Work and Pensions records of triggers. 3. Department for Work and Pensions records of the total number of payments actually made by benefit computer system and clerically.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has made an estimate of the change in the level of carbon dioxide emissions from his Department since May 2010; and what steps he plans to take to meet his Department's target of reducing such emissions by 10 per cent. by May 2011.

Chris Grayling: The following table gives details of the consumption and associated carbon emissions for DWP reported since May this year. A total is given for the first quarter (April to June), as monthly reporting only commenced in July, thereafter monthly data is provided. A quarterly reconciliation is undertaken to correct and resolve any monthly estimates using metered data. Carbon performance continues to be regularly scrutinised by senior management as part of routine governance arrangements.
	
		
			   kWh  
			   Electricit y  Gas  Oil  Carbon (Tonnes) 
			 April to June  Q1 total 57,205,762 39,943,002 1,081,483 38,553 
			  
			 July 19,237,683 5,238,563 242,410 11,430 
			 August 18,917,170 4,264,976 635,375 11,177 
			 September 18,798,889 7,614,129 534,714 11,703 
			 Quarter  2 total 56,953,742 17,117,668 1,412,499 34,310 
		
	
	The Department has put in place a comprehensive range of measures to address carbon emissions from the estate. To generate engagement throughout the management structure we have used the improved data resulting from our installation of "smart meters" to set specific reduction targets for all the Department's businesses. They in turn ensure these are cascaded to site level where Energy Champions are in place to lead local action. A tailored pack of information is available for use at site level to promote energy efficiency and carbon reduction.
	Technical solutions, such as improved lighting controls, resulting from individual site audits are being delivered by our estate partner Telereal Trillium. A combined heat and power (CHP) plant is being installed in Quarry house in Leeds, which is estimated to deliver both carbon and financial savings (428 tonnes CO2 and £93,000 p.a. respectively). Additional CHP opportunities are being assessed. We are also working with the Carbon Trust to identify funding schemes for further low-carbon energy generation initiatives such as solar, wide and biomass.
	We launched our AWaRE (Avoid Waste and Reduce Energy) campaign formerly at the beginning of June. Working in conjunction with Telereal Trillium, this actively promotes to all staff the part they can play in meeting the 10% challenge. Information has been made available and is continually promoted to encourage staff to adopt energy efficient practises (such as using the 'off' switch). In addition, the Department's executive team have agreed a further package of measures designed to generate further savings, such as:
	Challenging the need for unnecessary equipment and removing it where need is not proven.
	Ensuring buildings are not heated outside normal occupancy hours.
	Ensure that where buildings are used outside normal office hours, that staff are brigaded together where operationally and logistically possible, so that additional heating and lighting are used most efficiently.
	Disabling cooling in buildings between November and April unless there is a proven need, at the same time as restricting access to heating and cooling controls.
	Site Energy Champions to report direct to building senior responsible officers.
	Including environmental issues formally within the remit of local health and safety committees.

Departmental Manpower

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many employees of his Department  (a) at each grade and  (b) in each directorate are employed at its Norcross site.

Chris Grayling: The number of staff, in each grade and agency/business directorate, employed at the Norcross site is shown in the following table. The latest available data is at 30 June 2010.
	
		
			   Agency/business directorate 
			  Grade  Jobcentre Plus  Pensions, Disability and Carers Service  Corporate and Shared Services  DWP total 
			 A/AA - 11 20 31 
			 B/AO - 56 225 281 
			 C/EO 1 155 283 439 
			 D/HEO - 90 273 363 
			 E/SEO - 36 173 209 
			 F/G7 - 13 89 102 
			 G/G6 1 3 41 45 
			 SCS 0 2 8 10 
			 Grand total 2 366 1,112 1,480

Departmental Work Experience

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many interns his Department has engaged in the last 12 months; and how many were  (a) unpaid,  (b) remunerated with expenses only and  (c) paid a salary.

Chris Grayling: DWP has not engaged either unpaid internships, or, unpaid interns receiving expenses only in the last 12 months (as far as the best information is available.)
	The Department has employed a total 110 interns on salary equivalent above the national minimum wage. This number is made up of several managed programmes consisting of summer placements or professional routeways managed at a civil service level, short-term internships and the graduate internship programme as part of Backing Young Britain.

Disability Living Allowance

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with which representative organisations has his Department had discussions on its proposed reforms to disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: We have held initial discussions on proposed reforms with disabled people and a broad range of representative organisations including representatives of Equality 2025, Radar and Disability Benefits Consortium.
	In developing the new assessment announced by the Chancellor in the Emergency Budget, we are working with an independent group of specialists in the fields of health and disability and representatives of disabled people.
	We will have ongoing discussions to ensure that our reforms will assess more accurately and consistently who would benefit most from additional support, while continuing to tackle the inequalities that can arise from severe disability.

Disability Living Allowance

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answers to the hon. Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd of 16 September 2010,  Official Report, column 1154W, on social security benefits: welfare examinations, whether his Department provided the figures given in the June 2010 Budget Red Book for the projected savings from the new assessment to be introduced for all disability living allowance claimants from 2013-14; and what account the present process of developing options for the new assessment is taking of such projected savings.

Maria Miller: The projected savings from a new assessment for disability living allowance are based on DWP forecasts of working age disability living allowance benefit expenditure. The methodology to estimate the savings was agreed by, DWP and HMT officials and was subject to scrutiny by the Office for Budget Responsibility. The methodology for estimating the savings is set out in the Budget 2010 policy costings document(1).
	The new assessment, which we are developing with the help of specialists in the fields of health and disability and representatives of disabled people, is being designed to assess more accurately, objectively and consistently those disabled people who would benefit from support to reduce the barrier they face to participating in society as a result of their disability. One factor being considered in developing options for the new assessment is the need for reform of disability living allowance to deliver savings of 20% of working age expenditure.
	(1) http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/junebudget_costings.htm

Employment Schemes

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to ensure that skills identified by local enterprise partnerships are reflected in the development of the Single Work Programme.

Chris Grayling: The precise Work Programme design is still in the process of being finalised. However, we are committed to working directly with local enterprise partnerships with an interest in worklessness to discuss ideas around the Work Programme and explore how we can work most effectively together.
	Our framework for commissioning the Work Programme sets out clearly our commitment to engaging with local partners. We are actively encouraging potential Work Programme providers to work with local partners, including local enterprise partnerships, to understand local labour market and skills needs. That detailed knowledge of local needs will ensure the Work Programme offers the best mix of personalised support to help people back to work.

Employment Schemes

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills the mechanism whereby his Department's Single Work Programme can contribute to the objectives of local enterprise partnerships.

Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions and Jobcentre Plus will be embarking upon a series of meetings with the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, the Department for Communities and Local Government and others to evaluate the specific requests made of departments within the local enterprise partnerships proposals.
	Government will publish shortly a White Paper on our approach to sub-national economic development. This will set out further detail of local enterprise partnerships policy.

Future Jobs Fund: East Ayrshire

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many residents of East Ayrshire aged  (a) between 18 to 24 years and  (b) over 24 years who had been out of work and claiming jobseeker's allowance for more than six months have found employment through the Future Jobs Fund since the Fund was established.

Chris Grayling: The Young Person's Guarantee statistics were published on 13 October 2010 and are available here:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=ypg
	Statistics are available on the future jobs fund which covers the period from October 2009 to July 2010. They show that 5,870 people were placed in temporary roles via the future jobs fund in Scotland. The information requested for East Ayrshire is not available.

Incapacity Benefit: Aberdeen

Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many residents of  (a) Aberdeen South constituency and  (b) Aberdeen City have been on incapacity benefit since before April 1995.

Chris Grayling: The information is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Incapacity benefit (IB) and severe disablement allowance (SDA) claimants in Aberdeen local authority and Aberdeen South parliamentary constituency, by duration, as of February 2010 
			   All durations  Claimants on IB/SDA since April 1995 or earlier 
			 Aberdeen local authority 8,570 1,740 
			 Aberdeen South parliamentary constituency 2,860 620 
			  Notes: 1. Case load has been rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Data do not include claimants of employment and support allowances (ESA). 3. Durations refer to IB/SDA awards. 4. Parliamentary constituency at May 2010.  Source: DWP Information Directorate 100% WPLS. 
		
	
	As there is no parliamentary constituency for Aberdeen city, we have provided figures for the number of people in the Aberdeen local authority area in receipt of incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Fraud

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were prosecuted for fraudulent claims for jobseeker's allowance in each of the last three years; and how many of those had addresses in Dartford constituency.

Chris Grayling: Information on the number of people in England and Wales prosecuted for benefit fraud in each of the last years is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2007-08 9,538 
			 2008-09 8,701 
			 2009-10 7,709 
		
	
	The number of prosecutions arising from fraudulent claims to jobseeker's allowance is not available.
	The reduction in prosecution levels over the last three years arises from changes to DWP's sanctions regime. More low value, first-time, admitted frauds are now dealt with by way of a caution or administrative penalty, allowing resources to be re-directed to higher value, complex and more serious cases.
	Information on the number of people prosecuted for benefit fraud with addresses in Dartford constituency is not available.

Social Security Benefits: Dartford

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in Dartford constituency include one or more  (a) disability living allowance and  (b) jobseeker's allowance claimants.

Maria Miller: The information requested is not available by household. The number of claimants of jobseeker's allowance and disability living allowance (in payment) in Dartford constituency is in the following table
	
		
			   Caseload 
			 Jobseeker's allowance 1,891 
			 Disability living allowance 3,890 
			  Notes: 1. Caseload data for disability living allowance are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Figures on disability living allowance are available in the House of Commons Library. 3. Jobseekers allowance data are published at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk Disability living allowance data are published at: http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html 4. JSA figures are unrounded as this is the approved convention followed by ONS for this particular data source. 5. Parliamentary constituency of claimant (Westminster) are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. 6. For jobseeker's allowance, the latest data currently available are September 2010. For disability living allowance, the latest data currently available are February 2010.  Source: Jobseeker's allowance: Count of unemployment-related benefits, Jobcentre Plus computer systems (including clerically held cases). Disability living allowance: DWP Information Directorate 100% WPLS

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether there is provision for disability benefit claimants to have medical examinations undertaken by Welsh speakers.

Chris Grayling: There is provision to provide a Welsh language service for those claimants who are resident in Wales for correspondence, telephone and face to face communications as well as published and printed materials.

State Retirement Pensions: Uprating

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the financial effect on a pensioner of average income of the restoration of a link between pensions and earnings.

Steve Webb: On top of restoring the earnings link the 'triple guarantee' will ensure that the basic state pension will be increased each year by the highest of earnings, prices or 2.5%.
	This will mean that the average person reaching state pension age in 2011 can expect to receive an additional £15,000 in basic state pension over their retirement.

Vocational Training

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what account his Department takes of  (a) geographical and  (b) individual circumstances in determining the criteria for the employment training grants it funds.

Chris Grayling: The question refers to 'employment training grants' which is not a term used for any training provision offered by the Department.
	The Skills Funding Agency, part of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, funds skills training throughout England delivered by colleges of further education and other training organisations. Eligibility generally depends upon the type of benefit in payment and on the length of time the benefit has been in payment. Skills and training in Scotland and Wales is the responsibility of the devolved Administrations, working in partnership with Jobcentre Plus.
	The new Work Programme will radically simplify the array of existing employment programmes to deliver coherent, integrated support more capable of dealing with complex and overlapping barriers to work.

Welfare to Work: Glasgow

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which contractors provide services under the welfare to work programme in the Glasgow City Council area; and what services are provided in each case.

Chris Grayling: The following table lists the providers who are delivering welfare to work programmes in Glasgow, and the programme type. Other organisations may deliver employment services on an ad hoc basis.
	
		
			  Provider name  Programme type 
			 A4e New Deal for Disabled People 
			 Capability Scotland Work Preparation and Workstep 
			 Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar Workstep 
			 Craigowl Communities Work Preparation 
			 Enable Services Workstep 
			 Erskine Hospital Workshops Workstep 
			 Fife Employability Team Workstep 
			 Glasgow City Council Workstep 
			 Glasgow Mentoring Network New Deal 
			 Glasgow North Limited New Deal 
			 Haven Products Workstep 
			 Helm Training Workstep 
			 Highland Blindcraft Workstep Consortium Workstep 
			 Management Introductions New Deal 
			 Momentum Work Preparation and Workstep 
			 Moray Council Workstep 
			 North Lanarkshire Council Workstep 
			 One Plus One Plus: SVQ level 3 Childcare 
			 Prospects Work Preparation 
			 Reed in Partnership Limited Backing Young Britain, Jobcentre Plus Support Contracts and Employment Zones 
			 RNIB Scotland Work Preparation and Residential Work Preparation 
			 Scottish Association for Mental Health Workstep 
			 Scottish Cultural Enterprise Limited New Deal 
			 Sencia New Deal for Disabled People 
			 Shaw Trust New Deal for Disabled People and Workstep 
			 South Lanarkshire Council Workstep 
			 Stirling Council Workstep 
			 The Highland Council Workstep 
			 The Wise Group Employment Zones, New Deal, Workstep and In Work Support 
			 Volunteer Development Scotland Volunteering provision 
			 Work Fit Technical and Ergonomic Assessments 
			 Working Links (Employment) Ltd Employment Zones

Winter Fuel Payments

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the average percentage of pensioners' energy bills which will be met by the winter fuel allowance in  (a) the UK,  (b) Wales and  (c) Islwyn constituency in 2010-11.

Steve Webb: It is estimated that the average percentage of pensioner households' energy bills likely to be met by the Winter Fuel Payment in 2010-11 in  (a) the UK and  (b) Wales, are as follows:
	
		
			   UK  Wales 
			   Aged up to 79  Age 80 and over  Aged up to 79  Age 80 and over 
			 Winter Fuel Payment amounts (£) 250 400 250 400 
			 Percentage of annual energy bill met by the Winter Fuel Payment 26 46 24 42 
		
	
	 (c) The information requested is not available.
	Additional support is available through Cold Weather Payments for regions that suffer particularly cold weather.
	 Notes:
	1. The Family Spending Survey 2009 is used to determine household expenditure on fuel by age.
	2. The difference in energy bills in Wales and the UK, is calculated by looking at the percentage difference an average household spent on energy bills in 2008.
	3. The fuel and light inflation rate, published by the ONS, is used to estimate the energy bills as at September 2010.
	4. The Winter Fuel Payment figures include the additional payments for 2010-11.

Work Capability Assessment: Per Capita Costs

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent estimate is of the average cost to the public purse of the participation of one claimant in the work capability assessment process.

Chris Grayling: The information required to provide an estimate of the average cost to the public purse of the participation of one claimant in the work capability assessment process is not available.
	The introduction of employment and support allowance in October 2008 was accompanied by the new work capability assessment. These assessments are delivered as part of the medical services provided by the Department for Work and Pensions' contractor, ATOS Healthcare. Jobcentre Plus, part of the Department for Work and Pensions, is responsible for referring both incapacity benefit and employment and support allowance claimants to ATOS for medical testing.
	Information regarding the ATOS costs of individual work capability assessments is commercially sensitive. However, the total cost of the services provided by ATOS Healthcare to the Department for Work and Pensions for all benefit streams covered under the medical services contract amounts to approximately £100 million per annum.
	For Jobcentre Plus the annual direct staff administration cost relating to all medical testing for 2009-10, the latest complete financial year, was approximately £10 million.
	Jobcentre Plus systems do not currently capture volume data specific to work capability assessments, therefore it is not possible to estimate the average administration cost of one claimant in this process.

State Retirement Pensions: Uprating

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the likely change in pension payments in  (a) cash terms in each financial year from 2011-12 to 2016-17 and  (b) 2010-11 prices over the course of retirement for a public sector pensioner aged 60 with a public sector pension of (i) £2,500, (ii) £5,000, (iii) £10,000 and (iv) £20,000 as a result of the proposed move to the consumer prices index for the indexation of public sector pensions.

Danny Alexander: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government have not estimated the effect of indexing based on the consumer prices index (CPI) instead of the retail price index (RPI) over the course of retirement for specific groups in the public service pension schemes. However, the overall estimated savings in annually managed expenditure for public service pension expenditure were made available in answers to the right hon. Member for Stirling (Mrs McGuire) on 27 July 2010,  Official Report, column 991W.
	The table shows the likely change in cash terms for each financial year from 2011 -12 to 2016-17 for public service pensioners as requested. It is based on the OBR forecasts for CPI and RPI to 2016-17.
	
		
			   2011-12  2012-13  2013-14  2014-15  2015-16  2016-17 
			 RPI (%) 4.2 3.4 3.0 3.2 3.4 3.5 
			 CPI (%) 2.8 2.6 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.0 
			
			  £2,500   
			 RPI (£) 2,605 2,694 2,774 2,863 2,961 3,064 
			 CPI (£) 2,570 2,673 2,745 2,830 2,920 3,020 
			
			  £5,000   
			 RPI (£) 5,210 5,387 5,549 5,726 5,921 6,128 
			 CPI (£) 5,140 5,345 5,489 5,660 5,841 6,039 
			
			  £10,000   
			 RPI (£) 10,420 10,774 11,098 11,453 11,842 12,256 
			 CPI (£) 10,280 10,691 10,979 11,319 11,682 12,079 
			
			  £20,000   
			 RPI (£) 20,840 21,549 22,195 22,905 23,684 24,513 
			 CPI (£) 20,560 21,382 21,958 22,639 23,363 24,158 
		
	
	Individual public service pension schemes are the responsibility of the relevant administering departments and in the case of the civil service pension scheme this would be the Cabinet Office.

Academies: Dartford

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many expressions of interest in academy status his Department has received from schools in Dartford constituency.

Nick Gibb: As of 11 October 2010, the Department has received registrations from five schools in the Dartford constituency expressing an interest in converting to academy status. Of these, Dartford Grammar School is the only school judged as outstanding by Ofsted. The school submitted an application to convert in June 2010 and an academy order was issued on 10 August 2010. It aims to convert on 1 December 2010.

Departmental PFI

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the revenue cost of each project sponsored by his Department under the private finance initiative over the lifetime of the project.

Nick Gibb: The estimated revenue funding of each project with a signed private finance initiative contract sponsored by the Department is contained in tables, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries. The total funding is for the length of the concession, which is typically 25-30 years. With the exception of the grants paid to the 11 voluntary aided schools projects at the bottom of the table, grants are paid to local authorities by the Department for Communities and Local Government.
	On 5 July, the Department announced that BSF projects that have reached Financial Close will continue, together with repeat projects which have Outline Business Case approval prior to 1 January. All projects that have not reached Close of Dialogue will stop with immediate effect. On 6 August, the Department announced that all sample schools would also go ahead.

Departmental Regulation

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which of his Department's regulations are under review; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: In order to make a real impact on reducing bureaucratic burdens on the front line we are reviewing all of the duties, regulations and statutory guidance schools, colleges and local authorities have to follow in relation to education and children's services.

Education Maintenance Allowance

David Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his most recent assessment is of the effectiveness of the education maintenance allowance in widening access to further education.

Nick Gibb: The most recent evidence of the effectiveness of the education maintenance allowance (EMA) in widening access to further education was the research report on Barriers to Participate in Education and Training which was published on the Department's website on 24 June 2010. The report can be found at
	http://www.education.gov.uk/research
	The research, which was commissioned by the previous administration, surveyed a large number of young people. The survey included questions about EMA. A key finding was that only 12% of young people overall receiving an EMA believe that they would not have participated in the courses they are doing if they had not received an EMA.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether students in receipt of education maintenance allowance who are commencing two-year courses in September 2010 will receive the allowance for the duration of the course.

Nick Gibb: Where eligible young people aged 16-19 in England fulfil the conditions required to receive education maintenance allowance (EMA), it will be paid in full in the 2010/11 academic year. Future spending decisions are subject to the spending review, which will conclude later this autumn.

Foreign Language

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many foreign language A-levels were sat in  (a) England,  (b) Sussex,  (c) Hove constituency and  (d) Brighton and Hove in each year from 2002 to 2009;
	(2)  how many foreign language AS levels were sat in  (a) England,  (b) Sussex,  (c) Hove constituency and  (d) Brighton and Hove in each year from 2002 to 2009;
	(3)  how many foreign language GCSEs were sat in  (a) England,  (b) Sussex,  (c) Hove constituency and  (d) Brighton and Hove in each year from 2002 to 2009.

Nick Gibb: The information available is given in the following tables:
	
		
			  Number students( 1 ) entered for foreign language A levels from 2002-09 
			   England  Sussex  Hove Constituency  Brighton and Hove 
			 2002 28,256 1,093 111 274 
			 2003 27,475 1,127 117 324 
			 2004 27,052 1,023 97 256 
			 2005 26,665 945 122 277 
			 2006 28,010 993 99 265 
			 2007 28,377 1,018 104 241 
			 2008 29,423 1,052 125 262 
			 2009 29,529 1,064 120 259 
			 (1). Figures represent number of entries, so if a student had entered two foreign languages, they would be represented twice.  Source:  Achievement and Attainment tables. 
		
	
	
		
			  Number students( 1)  entered for foreign language AS levels from 2002-09 
			   England  Sussex  Hove Constituency  Brighton and Hove 
			 2002 34,196 1,246 161 313 
			 2003 32,878 1,259 128 350 
			 2004 31,187 1,055 138 272 
			 2005 31,557 1,027 147 290 
			 2006 31,757 1,099 144 276 
			 2007 32,645 1,202 150 294 
			 2008 30,208 1,002 167 247 
			 2009 30,130 1,004 177 292 
			 (1) Figures represent number of entries, so if a student had entered two foreign languages, they would be represented twice.  Source:  Achievement and Attainment tables. 
		
	
	
		
			  Number students( 1)  entered for foreign language GCSEs from 2002-09 
			   England  Sussex  Hove Constituency  Brighton and Hove 
			 2002 461,000 17,046 1,034 2,583 
			 2003 453,900 12,841 945 1,939 
			 2004 437,200 12,583 897 1,973 
			 2005 375,300 11,212 928 1,748 
			 2006 327,000 10,047 692 1,420 
			 2007 301,600 9,001 674 1,224 
			 2008 288,900 10,088 763 1,565 
			 2009 278,800 9,053 661 1,418 
			 (1). Figures represent number of entries, so if a student had entered two foreign languages, they would be represented twice.  Notes: 1. The GCSE figures for 2002-04 are for pupils aged 15. The figures for 2005-09 are based on pupils at the end of KS4. 2. Figures are based on entries in all school types.  Source:  Achievement and Attainment tables.

History: GCSE

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  in how many mainstream secondary schools no pupil obtained grade C or above at history GCSE in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many mainstream secondary schools did not enter a single pupil for a history GCSE in the last 12 months.

Nick Gibb: Of the 3,989 mainstream secondary schools with any pupils at the end of key stage 4, 310 such schools had no pupil reach the end of key stage 4 with a pass in GCSE history at grade A*-C.
	At 269 of these schools, none of the pupils at the end of key stage 4 had been entered for GCSE history.

History: GCSE

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of pupils in mainstream maintained secondary schools were entered for history GCSE in each local authority in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Nick Gibb: The requested information is given in the following table.
	
		
			  GCSE attempts of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 in History by each local authority in 2009 
			   Number of pupils who entered GCSE History  Percentage of all pupils who entered GCSE History 
			 Camden 475 33 
			 Greenwich 693 29 
			 Hackney 389 29 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 407 39 
			 Islington 390 28 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 203 36 
			 Lambeth 376 24 
			 Lewisham 615 29 
			 Southwark 654 28 
			 Tower Hamlets 504 21 
			 Wandsworth 527 28 
			 City of Westminster 373 29 
			 Barking and Dagenham 687 34 
			 Barnet 1,269 39 
			 Bexley 1,287 40 
			 Brent 748 27 
			 Bromley 1,336 38 
			 Croydon 1,036 28 
			 Ealing 863 31 
			 Enfield 1,230 34 
			 Haringey 570 26 
			 Harrow 709 33 
			 Havering 1,099 36 
			 Hillingdon 769 26 
			 Hounslow 960 38 
			 Kingston upon Thames 548 37 
			 Merton 394 25 
			 Newham 596 18 
			 Redbridge 1,058 33 
			 Richmond upon Thames 640 45 
			 Sutton 934 36 
			 Waltham Forest 735 28 
			 Birmingham 3,623 29 
			 Coventry 737 21 
			 Dudley 1,226 31 
			 Sandwell 743 21 
			 Solihull 951 31 
			 Walsall 1,031 28 
			 Wolverhampton 658 24 
			 Knowsley 260 16 
			 Liverpool 1,407 26 
			 St Helens 548 25 
			 Sefton 1,102 31 
			 Wirral 1,349 34 
			 Bolton 990 27 
			 Bury 730 33 
			 Manchester 913 19 
			 Oldham 701 23 
			 Rochdale 671 26 
			 Salford 542 23 
			 Stockport 786 26 
			 Tameside 668 22 
			 Trafford 990 34 
			 Wigan 1,026 26 
			 Barnsley 842 32 
			 Doncaster 1,005 27 
			 Rotherham 847 23 
			 Sheffield 1,471 26 
			 Bradford 1,366 23 
			 Calderdale 945 36 
			 Kirklees 1,401 30 
			 Leeds 2,417 29 
			 Wakefield 1,095 27 
			 Gateshead 632 29 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 595 22 
			 North Tyneside 789 34 
			 South Tyneside 493 26 
			 Sunderland 906 26 
			 Isles of Scilly 5 33 
			 Bath and North East So 791 36 
			 City of Bristol 784 25 
			 North Somerset 791 35 
			 South Gloucestershire 1,092 35 
			 Hartlepool 377 30 
			 Middlesbrough 405 23 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 633 33 
			 Stockton on Tees 755 31 
			 City of Kingston upon 639 22 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 1,474 37 
			 North East Lincolnshire 349 18 
			 North Lincolnshire 504 25 
			 North Yorkshire 2,298 33 
			 City of York 643 38 
			 Luton 706 29 
			 Bedford Borough 433 23 
			 Central Bedfordshire 955 33 
			 Buckinghamshire 2,077 37 
			 Milton Keynes 649 25 
			 Derbyshire 2,608 29 
			 Derby City 758 26 
			 Dorset 1,465 34 
			 Poole 570 34 
			 Bournemouth 454 26 
			 Durham 1,491 26 
			 Darlington 311 26 
			 East Sussex 1,518 29 
			 Brighton and Hove 672 29 
			 Hampshire 4,937 35 
			 Portsmouth 575 29 
			 Southampton 608 27 
			 Leicestershire 1,291 17 
			 Leicester City 790 23 
			 Rutland 190 40 
			 Staffordshire 3,247 33 
			 Stoke on Trent 608 22 
			 Wiltshire 1,713 34 
			 Swindon 698 31 
			 Bracknell Forest 517 46 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 541 35 
			 West Berkshire 793 40 
			 Reading 312 33 
			 Slough 366 25 
			 Wokingham 794 47 
			 Cambridgeshire 2,252 39 
			 Peterborough, City of 831 36 
			 Halton 402 26 
			 Warrington 929 36 
			 Devon 2,241 29 
			 Plymouth, City of 900 30 
			 Torbay 443 29 
			 Essex 5,092 32 
			 Southend on Sea 729 33 
			 Thurrock 451 24 
			 Herefordshire 664 35 
			 Worcestershire 1,990 32 
			 Kent 4,737 28 
			 Medway 890 26 
			 Lancashire 3,986 29 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 476 26 
			 Blackpool 435 26 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,904 31 
			 Nottingham, City of 560 20 
			 Shropshire 1,131 35 
			 Telford and Wrekin 608 29 
			 Cheshire East 1,498 37 
			 Cheshire West and Cheshire 1,251 31 
			 Cornwall 1,668 28 
			 Cumbria 2,081 34 
			 Gloucestershire 2,322 34 
			 Hertfordshire 5,070 39 
			 Isle of Wight 599 40 
			 Lincolnshire 2,892 34 
			 Norfolk 2,997 34 
			 Northamptonshire 2,517 31 
			 Northumberland 1,136 30 
			 Oxfordshire 2,391 38 
			 Somerset 2,145 38 
			 Suffolk 2,940 38 
			 Surrey 3,606 34 
			 Warwickshire 2,085 35 
			 West Sussex 2,598 32 
			  Note: Figures are based on pupils in maintained schools only in England.

History: GCSE and A-level

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of pupils  (a) eligible and  (b) not eligible for free school meals were entered for (i) a history GCSE and (ii) a history A-level in each of the last five years.

Nick Gibb: The information required is given in the following tables:
	
		
			  Number and proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals who were entered for a history A-level in the period 2005-09 
			   FSM  Non-FSM 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 2005 1,074 8.6 28,757 14.9 
			 2006 1,133 7.5 29,843 13.4 
			 2007 1,113 7.2 29,363 13.1 
			 2008 1,182 7.4 30,613 13.1 
			 2009 1,238 7.3 30,731 12.4 
			  Source: National Pupil Database (NPD). 
		
	
	The A-level figures relate to students at the end of advanced level study in maintained schools and FE colleges.
	
		
			  Number and proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals who were entered for a history GCSE in the period 2005-09 
			   FSM  Non-FSM 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 2005 15,353 19.2 164,772 32.8 
			 2006 14,727 18.9 168,517 32.7 
			 2007 14,057 18.4 165,116 31.6 
			 2008 13,348 17.9 166,433 31.9 
			 2009 13,480 18.1 160,770 31.9 
			  Source: National Pupil Database (NPD). 
		
	
	The GCSE figures relate to pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 in maintained schools only.

Primary Education: Capital Investment

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what his Department's policy is on the provision of funding for primary school capital projects;
	(2)  if his Department will provide equivalent funding to phase two of Aintree Davenhill Primary School to that which has been committed by Sefton council;
	(3)  how much funding the Government have agreed to provide for primary school capital projects in 2010-11;
	(4)  if he will take steps to prioritise funding for the completion of school building projects which have been planned in phases and where funding is still required for the later phases.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 11 October 2010
	All capital resources for this spending period have been allocated, and there is no scope for making additional resources available. Over the current spending period Sefton borough council and its schools have been allocated nearly £65 million of capital support, including over £9 million relating to the primary capital programme. An announcement concerning future capital support, including primary capital, will take place following the outcome of the spending review covering the period 2011-12 to 2014-15.

Pupils: Asthma

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what mechanisms are in place to ensure that children with asthma have access to an inhaler at school; and if he will take steps to enable schools to keep shared inhalers for use in emergencies;
	(2)  if he will take steps to ensure that training on the requirement of children with asthma is available for all school staff.

Nick Gibb: Guidance issued by the Department, 'Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings':
	http://publications.education.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/Managing%20Medicines%20Nov%2007%20version.pdf
	states that children with asthma need to have immediate access to their reliever inhalers and advises that spare inhalers labelled for the use of individual children may be kept at school or early years settings, in case a child's ready access inhaler is mislaid or runs out.
	It is for schools and local authorities (LAs) to set their own policies on managing the medical conditions of their pupils, including the training needs of staff, taking into account local needs and resources. They should work with local health services to make sure comprehensive training is in place and delivered by appropriately qualified health professionals. This should ensure that staff are fully competent to undertake medical support duties, including supporting children with asthma.

Pupils: Multiple Births

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  if he will make it his policy to require schools to involve parents of multiple birth children in deciding whether they should be placed in the same class or separate classes  (a) when starting school and  (b) in subsequent years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will bring forward proposals to implement the recommendations of the Chief Schools Adjudicator that  (a) the schools admissions code be revised to ensure that multiple birth children are allocated places together at primary school by adding them to the list of excepted pupils in the class size regulations and  (b) admission authorities are compelled to consult on and publish arrangements for the admission of multiple birth children; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: It is for schools to determine in which classes children from multiple births should be placed, but I would expect their parents to be consulted in each case.
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State is considering the Chief Adjudicator's recommendations to the previous Secretary of State regarding the admission to the same school of twins and other children from multiple births, and will announce in due course any policy changes which may arise.

Schools: Standards

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of schools which did not exceed the national challenge floor target of 30 per cent. of pupils gaining five GCSEs at A* to C grade including English and mathematics in 2010.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 16 September 2010
	 The number of schools where fewer than 30% of pupils achieved five GCSEs at A*-C including English and mathematics in 2010 will be published as a National Statistic as part of Statistical First Release to be published in January 2011. Individual school results will be published as Official Statistics in the school performance tables at the same time.

Circulator Pumps: Energy

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when his Department plans to determine the payback period for installing energy efficient circulator pumps in  (a) domestic and  (b) non-domestic properties.

Gregory Barker: The Department have no plans to determine the payback period for installing energy efficiency circulator pumps in either domestic or non-domestic properties.
	Payback periods are difficult to determine precisely. They are influenced by the unit cost of the pump, the cost of installation, the actual running hours per year and the value of the fuel saved. As these variables are bespoke to each building payback periods are likely to vary considerably. The 2010 Building Services Compliance Guide recommends the use of circulators that have an A to G rating.

Armed Forces: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funding his Department has provided to Combat Stress to help former members of the armed forces who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorders in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: Although the Ministry of Defence works closely with the Department of Health, the NHS is responsible for treating former members of the armed forces. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) uses discretionary powers under the War Pensions Scheme to meet treatment costs arising wholly or mainly as a result of disablement due to service before 6 April 2005, where such costs are not provided for under other UK legislation.
	In 2009-10 the MOD provided £3 million to Combat Stress for residential treatment of war pensioners with mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder, caused by service and £49,000 for travel expenses incurred by war pensioners receiving such treatment. Combat Stress also receives separate funding from NHS Scotland for war pensioners resident in Scotland treated at Combat Stress's centre in Ayr.
	In June the Prime Minister confirmed an additional £2 million funding to the Department of Health into veterans' mental health services, including provision for 15 veterans' mental health nurses to be embedded into NHS mental health trusts.
	Following Dr Andrew Murrison MP's recent study of health services for the armed forces community, we will work with Combat Stress, the Department of Health and others to ensure delivery of recommendations he has made to improve support for serving and former members of the armed forces.

Astute Class Submarines

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent estimate is of the cost of the Astute-class submarine  (a) II,  (b) III,  (c) IV,  (d) V and  (e) VI; and whether each estimate has been revised since his appointment.

Peter Luff: The most recent published estimate of the cost of the Astute Class Submarine programme is recorded in the National Audit Office's Major Project Report (MPR) 2010 (HC 489-I, 2010-2011, dated 15 October 2010). The report forecasts procurement costs for Boats 1 to 3 (Batch 1) as £4,041 million, and the costs for Boat 4 as £1,567 million.
	The current approved level of spend on Astute Boat 5 is £735 million and for Boat 6 is £334 million; however, these do not reflect the total costs of these boats as they undergo incremental approval. The Boat 5 approval includes the nuclear reactor, other long lead items and the initial build work. The Boat 6 approval includes the nuclear reactor core and long lead items.
	These published figures reflect the position as of 31 March 2010 and have not been revised since my right hon. Friend, Dr Fox, was appointed.

Rendition

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the statement of 6 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 175-178, on the treatment of detainees, and the Prime Minister's letter to the right hon. Sir Peter Gibson of the same date, what separate arrangements his Department has made to address allegations relating to military detention operations in Iraq and Afghanistan after 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Fox: The separate arrangements made by the Ministry of Defence to address the allegations comprise several elements which look both at the historical issues arising from operations in Iraq, where we no longer conduct detention operations, and the current arrangements in those theatres of operations where UK forces are still deployed. Legislative provisions to ensure that we can deal robustly and transparently with allegations are contained in the Armed Forces Act 2006.
	In respect of allegations against British Forces in Iraq, we have established a dedicated Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) to enhance our capacity to review and investigate all such claims. Following the conclusion of an investigation into any particular allegation, the IHAT will report their findings to the Provost Marshal (Army) and, where justified, disciplinary action will be taken against those who may have behaved inappropriately. Separately, and with the full co-operation of the Ministry of Defence, the Baha Mousa Inquiry has been looking into the circumstances relating to the tragic death of Baha Mousain2003.
	In respect of current operations, in March this year the MOD's Strategic Detention Policy was published. This document informs subordinate doctrine, instructions and procedures relating to detention. In addition, early this year the Chief of the General Staff directed the Army Inspector to undertake a review into the implementation of policy, training and conduct of detainee handling. This review has looked at detention handling in the round, drawing on recent experiences and current practices, and has resulted in a number of recommendations which will be taken forward under new governance mechanisms. The key findings were set out in a statement to the House by the Minister for the Armed Forces on 14 September 2010,  Official Report, column 35WS.

USA: Military Alliances

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether he expects the proposed US-UK Defence Trade Co-operation Treaty to enable his Department to purchase more defence equipment off the shelf:
	(2)  what progress has been made on the agreement of a US-UK defence trade co-operation treaty; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The US-UK Defence Trade Cooperation treaty achieved a major milestone when it was agreed by the US Congress on 29 September 2010 allowing preparations for implementation to begin. The treaty will help improve interoperability and the support provided to our armed forces. It is a symbol of the close defence relationship between our countries. We envisage that the detailed preparations required to bring the treaty arrangements into force will take up to twelve months and will be conducted in close consultation with the US Administration and with UK and US industries. By simplifying export licensing arrangements for Government end use, the treaty will facilitate the more rapid movement of equipment and information between the UK and the US whether purchased off-the-shelf, as part of bilateral project or in support of joint operations.

Chief Scientific Adviser

Julian Huppert: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on how many occasions each Minister in the Cabinet Office has met the Chief Scientific Advisor since 6 May 2010.

Francis Maude: The Minister for Government Policy has met with the chief scientific adviser on one occasion since 6 May 2010. No other Cabinet Office Ministers have met with the adviser.

Terrorism

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will undertake research on the level of understanding of the terrorism threat level by  (a) the general public and  (b) staff of central Government departments.

Nick Herbert: The Government' Research, Intelligence and Communications Unit (RICU) has undertaken research into the public' understanding of communications about a range of counter-terrorism policies and issues. The data from this research is currently being compiled.
	Previously Home Office commissioned public polling 'Omnibus Questions for Crime Tracker November 2009' includes a section on the public's perception of the level of the terrorist threat. It is available at:
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100418065544/http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/mori-polls-2009/quarterly-tracker-november-20092835.pdf?view=Binary
	The Government do not intend to undertake research on the level of understanding of the terrorism threat level by staff in central Government Departments.

Courts: Fines

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much on average was collected in fines by HM Courts Service Fixed Penalty Office in Denbigh  (a) weekly,  (b) monthly and  (c) annually in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: The separate identification of fines collected by Fixed Penalty Offices, and specific information on fixed penalties registered as fines, is not collected centrally by HM Courts Service.
	Furthermore, information is not available on the number of individual of fines paid. Therefore we are unable to calculate now much on average was collected in fines in the last five years.
	However, information is available for the total amount collected in financial penalties which includes total fines, costs, victim surcharge and compensation collected, as well as fixed penalties registered as fines at magistrates' courts. This data is not available on a weekly basis.
	Figures for actual total fines paid for the North Wales HM Court Service area are provided;  (b) monthly and  (c) annually as shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Magistrates courts: Enforcement of financial penalties in the magistrates courts, North Wales HM Court Service area, January 2005 to December 2009 
			   Month  Amount paid (£) 
			 2005 - 3,544,394 
			 2006 - 3,944,047 
			 2007 - 3,618,164 
			 2008 - 3,418,049 
			 2009 - 3.281,928 
			 2005 January 372,705 
			 2005 February 243,686 
			 2005 March 302,714 
			 2005 April 268,562 
			 2005 May 273,418 
			 2005 June 375,579 
			 2005 July 229,072 
			 2005 August 170,965 
			 2005 September 374,841 
			 2005 October 312,809 
			 2005 November 289,128 
			 2005 December 330,914 
			 2006 January 315,147 
			 2006 February 294,521 
			 2006 March 395,570 
			 2006 April 416,526 
			 2006 May 414,772 
			 2006 June 332,064 
			 2006 July 317,979 
			 2006 August 359,616 
			 2006 September 269,719 
			 2006 October 300,667 
			 2006 November 293,443 
			 2006 December 234,025 
			 2007 January 281,717 
			 2007 February 307,249 
			 2007 March 271,900 
			 2007 April 269,279 
			 2007 May 310,938 
			 2007 June 305,708 
			 2007 July 333,272 
			 2007 August 304.959 
			 2007 September 248.756 
			 2007 October 323.813 
			 2007 November 423,148 
			 2007 December 237,426 
			 2008 January 341,640 
			 2008 February 277,75 
			 2008 March 245,145 
			 2008 April 330,683 
			 2008 May 319,160 
			 2008 June 322,831 
			 2008 July 289,754 
			 2008 August 320,007 
			 2008 September 248,648 
			 2008 October 288,696 
			 2008 November 242,935 
			 2008 December 191,375 
			 2009 January 186,449 
			 2009 February 206,884 
			 2009 March 349,653 
			 2009 April 252,674 
			 2009 May 231,505 
			 2009 June 278,729 
			 2009 July 260,088 
			 2009 August 231,509 
			 2009 September 304,993 
			 2009 October 337,630 
			 2009 November 348,617 
			 2009 December 293,197 
			  Notes: 1 Magistrates courts submit information on the enforcement of financial penalties using the Debt Analysis Return. 2 The amount paid represents the amount of financial penalties collected by the courts in the given month. 3 HMCS does not collect the number of fines paid or the average fines centrally. 4 Financial penalties data is collected at a local criminal justice boards level. 5 Financial penalties include total fines, costs, victim surcharge and compensation collected in the timeframe stated (fixed penalties registered as a fine will be included). 6 Fixed penalty fines cannot be separately identified. 7 Annual figures may not sum to monthly equivalents due to rounding.  Source: Debt Analysts Return (DAR), HM Courts Service Performance Database

Departmental Internet

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of establishing and operating the Spending Challenge programme.

Danny Alexander: The Government committed to ensuring this Spending Review process was open, responsible and fair and to engaging the whole public in the difficult decisions that have to be taken. The Spending Challenge was an important part of this, attracting over 100,000 suggestions from public sector workers and members of the public on how Government can do more with less.
	The cost of establishing and operating the Spending Challenge website was £19,300. Related staff and process costs were met using existing resources and from existing budgets.
	The Chancellor has already announced three ideas submitted to the Spending Challenge by members of the public and public sector workers will be implemented as policy by the Government.
	These ideas are  (a) to reduce the number of CRB checks for Junior Doctors, by taking a more common- sense approach across the NHS, so that junior doctors are not checked repeatedly over a short space of time, saving up to £1 million a year;  (b) to distribute National Insurance numbers to people with a letter rather than a plastic card, also saving up to £1 million; and  (c) to increase the selling of surplus and second hand Government equipment by expanding the use of the Ministry of Defence's eDisposals service for use across all Government departments.
	The Government will continue to highlight where ideas submitted by the public have been taken into account when the results of the Spending Review are announced on 20 October.